Article Title

Intensive Cultural Resources Survey For El Paso Natural Gas Project: Texas Gas Service Line Expansion Lateral And Meter Station, El Paso County, Texas

Authors

Kimberly Parker

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

This report details the results of an intensive archaeological survey by SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) for the proposed El Paso Natural Gas Project: Texas Gas Service Line Expansion Lateral and Meter Station. El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG), a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI) is proposing to extend the existing Line No. 20121 approximately 3.59 miles, install the Transmountain Delivery Meter Station (TDMS), and install a new pressure regulating station in order to supply Texas Gas Service Company with additional natural gas. The pipeline lateral would be constructed within an existing utility corridor, approximately 50 percent of which would be through a densely populated area within the city of El Paso, Texas, and would include approximately 15 public road crossings.

Approximately 3.59 miles of 12-inch-diameter pipe will be installed to extend EPNG’s existing Line No. 20121 towards the city of El Paso. The extension of Line No. 20121 will be installed parallel to EPNG’s Line No. 2034 and Line No. 2058. In addition to the lateral pipeline extension, EPNG proposes to build a new meter station and pressure regulating facility. The new lateral begins at approximately Milepost (MP) 0+0000 (Engineering Station [E.S.] 0+00), and continues north where it will terminate at the new Transmountain Delivery Meter Station (TDMS) located at approximately MP 3+3062 (E.S. 189+02). The new pressure regulating facility will be installed at the southernmost end (MP 0+0000) located in Track 2, Larkin Survey 264, Abstract 10031.

The Transmountain Delivery Meter Station, measuring 100 × 105 feet (0.24 acre), will include one 4-inch rotary meter, one 6-inch ultrasonic meter, and one 8-inch header assemblies, and be located in Section 10, Block 82, Township 1, Texas & Pacific Railroad Company Survey, El Paso County, Texas. EPNG will own and operate the lateral, delivery meter station and pressure regulating facility. The new lateral pipeline will have a maximum allowable operating pressure of 1,080 pounds per square inch gauge, and the meter station will be designed to deliver up to 59 million cubic feet per day. The lateral line will be installed within EPNG’s existing permanent right-of-way.

The project is located on both private land and land owned by the City of El Paso. This project can be accomplished under blanket authority granted to EPNG by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in its order issued September 8, 1982 in Docket No. CP82-435-000; Section 157.208(a) and Section 157.211(a). Archaeological survey was conducted on City of El Paso land under Texas Historical Commission Archaeological Permit No. 7077.

The background literature review determined that one archaeological site and a portion of the Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) was located within the project area. Upon completion of the archaeological survey; the previously recorded site originally thought to be within the project area was outside the area of potential effect (APE). However, a new archaeological site was discovered within the APE (Atlas 2014).

During the SWCA field investigation, one new archaeological site and one isolated occurrence were encountered. Because the project will be rerouted more than 40 feet away from the contributing elements of the site and temporary fencing will be installed to mark the area as a no disturbance zone, SWCA recommends a finding of no historic properties affected for the project.

No further archaeological work is recommended for the project area. However, if previously undocumented buried cultural resources are identified during ground-disturbing activities, all work in the immediate vicinity of the discovery should stop until the find can be evaluated by a professional archaeologist.

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